BBQ Chicken Thighs in Slow Cooker
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Make the most ultra tender and flavorful bbq chicken thighs in your slow cooker! With just 4 ingredients, you can make crock pot chicken thighs that your whole family will love. This is easy, hands-off cooking at its best!
Download the Cooking Time Chart and say goodbye to rubbery chicken forever!
BBQ Chicken Thighs Recipe
This is one of my favorite ways to make crock pot chicken thighs! They always turn out juicy, tender and flavorful. Slow cooker recipes like this are great for busy days. Being able to dump a few simple ingredients into the crock pot in the morning is such a huge time saver. The cooking is completely hands-off for you!
It’s the perfect dish for a simple weeknight meal, but it’s tasty enough that you can even serve it when you’re hosting guests! And when you’re ready to serve, you can shred the meat for sandwiches, serve it over a healthy broccoli bacon salad, or eat the sticky barbeque meat as-is!
If you need a tried and true slow cooker chicken thighs recipe, this one is gonna be your best friend.
Why This Recipe is a Favorite
- Hands-off cooking with easy clean-up.
- Keto, Whole30, and Paleo friendly. This recipe uses my sugar free bbq sauce recipe. Not only that, but it’s also a high protein meal.
- No more dry chicken! My slow cooker bbq chicken thighs recipe is practically fool-proof. You’ll enjoy bites of juicy, tender, fall-apart goodness!
If you need other recipe ideas for chicken, you may also like: Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs, and Bruschetta Chicken.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here is what you’ll need to grab at the grocery store to make this easy chicken recipe:
- chicken thighs: Use bone-in thighs with the skin-on for the most flavor. You can totally substitute boneless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breast if you prefer. Just simply adjust the cook time a bit (the instructions are included below!).
- BBQ sauce: Use any barbecue sauce you enjoy, or use my sugar free BBQ sauce recipe.
- onion: The onion adds a bit of flavor and texture that perfectly compliments the tender poultry.
- seasoning: For extra flavor and oomph, sprinkle in some bbq spice blend.
Variations
To make it a complete meal, add 1-2 pounds of baby potatoes right into the slow cooker. As long as you avoid overcrowding the slow cooker, you can cook everything at the same time.
Different seasonings: Season up your chicken with anything you want. Onion powder, garlic powder, fresh garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and ranch seasoning are some of my favorite options. You can use a spice mix too!
For a completely different flavor, make something like Instant Pot Butter Chicken.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Thighs in a Crock Pot
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
- Cut the onion into wedges or slices. Then, drop them into the slow cooker with the bone-in chicken thighs. Season the raw chicken with the BBQ seasoning and spoon the sauce over the top.
- Cover and cook chicken on high heat for 3 to 4 hours, or low heat for 6 to 7 hours. When the chicken is fall-apart tender (test it by trying to cut it with a fork), it’s ready! As an added bonus, your house smells fantastic at this point.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the meat, and serve immediately with some of the liquid from the crock pot spooned over the top.
Not quite ready to serve? You can set the slow cooker to the "Keep Warm" function for up to an hour, until you're ready to eat.
Optional step: You can use the oven broiler to crisp up the skin on the thighs. Preheat your broiler and set the chicken on a lined baking sheet. Then place it on an oven rack 3-5 inches beneath the broiler. Turn the broiler on low and let skin crisp for 3-4 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.
Tips for Success
Even though this is a super simple crock pot recipe, I do have a few helpful tips:
- When reheating leftover chicken, add a splash of chicken broth or chicken stock into the pan to keep the chicken from drying out.
- For boneless chicken breasts or thighs, follow the same instructions but keep an eye on it close to end of cook time so as not to overcook the meat. In the slow cooker, chicken breasts should cook for about 3-4 hours on high or 5.5-6 hours on low.
- Don't overcrowd your slow cooker if you choose to double or triple this recipe. A crock pot that is too full will not cook the meat evenly.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this meal with simple barbecue side dishes. Sweet potatoes, pickled red onions, pineapple slaw, and broccoli slaw, are some of my favorites. For something a little more reminiscent of junk food, cook up a batch of air fryer sweet potato fries.
It also goes great with a classic side salad, rolls, or cheesy garlic bread. Pretty much any of your favorite bbq sides will work great!
You could also stick with keto sides like cauliflower rice or cauliflower mashed potatoes. This one-pot meal pairs well with simple veggies like air fryer green beans and air fryer broccoli too.
Another option for this crock pot chicken thighs recipe is to remove the bones and shred the meat. Then, serve it on buns, over rice, or even in lettuce wraps.
Storing Leftovers
To store leftover chicken thighs, transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months as well. Allow to thaw before reheating.
To reheat, place in the oven until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature.
Crock Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe FAQ
To cook in the Instant Pot:
1. Add the chicken, bbq sauce, onions, bbq spices, AND 1/4-1/2 cup of water to your Instant Pot. Close the lid and set it to High Pressure to cook for 15 minutes.
2. Allow a Manual Pressure Release for 10 minutes, then turn or press the steam release valve for a Quick Pressure Release.
Yes! To make oven baked bbq chicken thighs, place the seasoned chicken thighs in a baking dish and cook in a preheated 400°F (204°C) oven. Cook for 25 minutes, then brush the chicken generously with bbq sauce. Return to the oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Other Favorite Crock Pot Recipes
BBQ Chicken Thighs in the Slow Cooker
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds bone-in chicken thighs (about 6 thighs), or 2 pounds boneless thighs
- 1 cup sugar free BBQ sauce or sauce of your choice
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon bbq seasoning optional
Video
Instructions
- Close the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours or low for 5.5-6.5 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the cooked chicken thighs and serve immediately with some of the liquid and onions from the crock pot spooned on top.
- Optional Step: If you like crispy skin, preheat your broiler. Set the chicken thighs on a parchment lined baking sheet, and place it on an oven rack 3-5 inches beneath the broiler. Allow it to crisp up the skin a bit, about 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
